It’s a Big East vs. Big 12 affair this Saturday, as the Villanova Wildcats take on the Baylor Bears in what should be an intriguing battle between two established programs. Which team will advance to the Elite Eight? Check out our preview of this game below.
There’s a reason why Villanova head coach Jay Wright is a Basketball Hall of Fame finalist this year. Wright has done an admirable job of steering his Wildcats to wins in this tournament despite not having one of his best players in Collin Gillespie. The Wildcats defeated the Winthrop Eagles in the first round (73-63) and the North Texas Mean Green (84-61) in the second round. The Wildcats are being buoyed up by their defense and outside shooting. They have made 22 threes on 35 attempts in two games in the Big Dance and held opponents to only 38.2 percent shooting from the field. Baylor is a different animal, one that’s going to bring an elite offense that will be a tough challenge for Villanova, but the Wildcats can trade blows with the Bears as well, with how well they’ve been shooting in the tournament.
Villanova is 3-0-1 against the spread in its last four games as the underdog.
It’s been smooth sailing for Baylor in the tournament. The Bears clipped the Hartford Hawks in the first round with ease in a 79-55 win, then shot down the Wisconsin Badgers in the second round, 76-63. Like Villanova, the Bears have been hot from deep country of late. Baylor has drilled a total of 19 threes on 50 attempts through two games. But that’s what the Bears do. They are the top 3-point shooting team in the nation, with a 41.5 percent accuracy from downtown. They are third in adjusted offensive efficiency with 122.8 points per 100 possessions. The Bears aren’t just a problem when they have the ball. They also spell trouble on defense, as they finished the regular season seventh in the nation with 9.1 steals per game. Per KenPom, Baylor is 32nd in defensive non-steal turnover percentage with an 11.9 clip. The Wildcats have won back-to-back but they have not faced a team of Baylor’s caliber since losing Gillespie.
Baylor is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games in neutral sites.
